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People want doctors who understand what they're going through. If you have hypothyroidism, it can be challenging to search for the right doctor — one who connects with you and also provides the best treatment.

Patients are more satisfied with their doctors if they believe that their concerns are taken seriously, that their doctors respect them, and that they are a team, according to a study in the May 2015 issue of the journal Health: an interdisciplinary journal for the social study of health, illness, and medicine. The researchers had asked 431 women with unexplained fatigue about what they appreciated in a doctor-patient relationship. Of all the factors the women mentioned, the one they deemed most important was feeling that they had a partnership with their doctor and a shared understanding of their condition.

That was the case for New Jersey resident Michelle Bickford. Fatigue, depression, and mood swings plagued her after the birth of her third child even though she was told that her hypothyroidism was under control. Like many people with hypothyroidism, she wanted to find a doctor who suited her — one who was experienced, took her concerns seriously, and was open to discussing what she was finding through her research into hypothyroidism.

With hypothyroidism, the thyroid gland doesn’t make enough thyroid hormone to keep metabolism moving as it should, the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases explains. This can lead to symptoms like fatigue, weight gain, feeling cold, dry skin, dry hair, depression, irregular periods, and a slower heart rate. Hypothyroidism is diagnosed with a blood test for thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH).

Levothyroxine, a synthetic hormone replacement for the thyroid hormone T4, is the standard first-line treatment for hypothyroidism, as outlined in the guidelines compiled by the American Thyroid Association in the December 2014 issue of the journal Thyroid. The goal of treatment is to bring TSH levels into normal ranges and relieve symptoms.

National treatment recommendations don’t necessarily address the qualities that patients would like in their doctors, however.

“As a patient, you want someone to help you,” says Monika Shirodkar, MD, an endocrinologist and clinical assistant professor at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia. “I try to guide my patients. If people feel they aren’t getting that, they should ask what else could be causing their symptoms and if there are other specialists they should see.”

Who Can Help?

Dr. Shirodkar says doctors who can manage hypothyroidism include primary care doctors, obstetrician/gynecologists, naturopathic doctors, integrative medicine specialists, and endocrinologists, who specialize in the endocrine — or hormone — system in your body.

“Most primary care doctors, including licensed naturopathic physicians, can manage uncomplicated hypothyroidism using thyroid hormone replacement," says naturopathic doctor Jane Guiltinan, ND, dean of the School of Naturopathic Medicine at Bastyr University in Seattle. "If the diagnosis is unclear or the condition is complex, an endocrinologist may be an appropriate referral."

Bickford switched doctors several times and founded the New Jersey-based nonprofit group ThyroidChange in part because of her search for the right care.

“The majority of people do really well on standard treatments,” Shirodkar says. Bickford didn’t, though, and she changed doctors until she found a clinic that had a physician’s assistant who she felt shared her understanding of hypothyroidism.

How to Find a Doctor for Hypothyroidism

People switch doctors for all kinds of reasons. Some are logistical, such as travel time to the clinic or a change in health insurance. Others are more personal.

Whatever your reason, here are some tools that can help in your search for the right doctor:

Word of mouth. Talk with other people with hypothyroidism, connect with a support group, or visit websites, such as the site for Bickford's group, which offers tips.

Your doctor. Your primary care doctor, your obstetrician/gynecologist, or another physician who knows you well might know of a specialist who meets your criteria.

Your insurance program. Check your health insurance plan to find out which endocrinologists or other specialists you're interested in are in your network.

Questions to Ask in Your Doctor Search

“I think it’s important to find a physician who understands who you are as a person and is open to developing a plan of care based on that and results of any prior treatment,” says integrative medicine specialist William Rollow, MD, MPH, director of clinical services at the Center for Integrative Medicine at the University of Maryland School of Medicine in Baltimore.

To that end, consider these questions:

How much experience do you have helping people manage hypothyroidism?

Is there anything else that could be contributing to my hypothyroidism or my symptoms?

Are there any lifestyle changes that can help?

What treatment do you recommend for me?

Should I see other specialists? If so, do you have any referrals?

Are you open to alternative treatments for hypothyroidism?

The answers, along with the doctor's manner and openness in discussing these issues, could help you determine whether the doctor would be a good fit for you.